The French Revolution: The causes
...nsisted of servants, cooks, and others who were poorer than the bourgeoisie. The third and largest group of the 3rd Estate were the peasants, who paid about half their income as tax to the nobles, church and the King. The discontent of the 3rd Estate led to the formation of the cahiers, a list of complaints about taxing and government, in which they brought to the Estates General. “That the taille [a tax on land] be borne equally by all classes…[ Document 3 ]” The 3rd Estate, even though generally much poorer than the first two estates, got taxed the heaviest. It was injustice that there was no equality among Estates. They were all people who lived in France and property of the king, so they should all get treated and taxed equally. “The meetings of the Estates General…shall be scheduled for definite times…in order to assure the third estate the influence it deserves because of its numbers…its votes in the assembly should be taken by head…[Document 3]” The 3rd Estate made up about 97% of the population, was part of the Estates General, and had absolutely no say in government. Because of the 3rd Estate had that many people, they thought it justice that they had more say in what was happening in their country. The Estates-General rejected the 3rd Estate’s cahiers. Because of that, the 3rd Estate renamed themselves the National Assembly and pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people. This was just the commencement of the revolution. These social injustices of social balance, power, and relationship between estates were one of the main three causes of the French Revolution. Economic Crisis was the second most important cause of the French Revolution. The strong prosperous economy of France’s King Louie the XIV was no more. France’s government at this time was in debt. King Louis the XIV and his predecessors spent their money lavishly, instead of investing in their country. He borrowed money exuberantly to participate in the American Revolution against Great Britain. With this massive debt, and the bankers refusing to let Louis borrow any more money, he resorted to taxing the people to death- literally. Inflation made the price of even a single loaf of bread a burden. “The poor people seem very poor indeed. The children are terribly ragged. The price of bread has risen above people’s ability to pay. This causes great misery. [Document 1]” Governmental debt basically a main coarse in economic crisis. It came with heavy taxation that was packed with inflation and famine-, which eventually led to the uprisings and revolts. Economic Crisis was the second most important cause of the French Revolution. Influential ideas also played an important role in the three main causes of the French Revolution. Ideas and knowledge of the Enlightenment affected the way the 3rd Estate thought about reform and the government. ‘The Revolution had been accomplished in the minds of men long before it was translated into fact…The middle class…was sensitive to their inferior legal position. The Revolution came from them—the middle class. [Document 4]’ The 3rd Estate thought this treatment was injustice because of the way their views were effected by the Enlightenment. They were familiar with Rousseau [ a philosopher ]’s idea about direct democracy, public election. They knew about Voltaire’s ideas about free spe...